


Keep Hoping

by remussvscohangout



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, I'm Sorry, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Major Spoilers, Max just wanted a good brother okay, Post-Season/Series 03, Sad, Sort of sympathetic billy hargrove, Why Did I Write This?, it's all just sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-10 08:10:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19902553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remussvscohangout/pseuds/remussvscohangout
Summary: No matter how long she sits there, she’s not going to get a response.But hey, she’ll keep hoping.





	Keep Hoping

“I can’t believe they’re making us move,” Max spat. She didn’t know why she was telling Billy that, but she just needed to say it. 

There was silence for a few seconds, only broken by the sound of tape ripping and cardboard boxes folding. 

“It’s not like your stupid dad cares about you anyway.”

Max whirled around, heat rising in her face. “Well neither does Neil! So I guess we’re in the same boat then!”

Then, Billy had the audacity to laugh. “You and me in the same boat? We’ll sink real fast.”

“Not if you just cared a little,” Max mumbled. 

Billy snorted. “In another life, maybe.”

“Another life.”

“That’s what I said, you deaf or something?”

“Do you…” Max pulled at her sleeve. “Do you think you could’ve loved me?”

Billy scowled, and Max’s breath hitched in her throat. His eyes narrowed. “What?”

Too far in to turn back, Max swallowed. “If Neil wasn’t an ass, if- if we were just normal kids, do you think you could’ve been my big brother?”

Max expected a laugh, a snarky retort, a yell, she expected him to storm out, slamming the door like always. He didn’t. 

“I am your big brother.”

“That’s-“ Max swiped at her eyes, annoyed that she started crying. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

Billy seemed to think about it, then he shook his head. “No. You’re too much of a spoiled brat.”

“Was that… sarcasm?”

“No, Maxene, it wasn’t.” Billy glared at her until she looked at the ground, shoulders shaking slightly. 

The creak of the floorboards is the only warning she had that he was coming closer, and she backed into the wall, flinching away. 

Billy took a drag from his cigarette, sounding uncaring and casual like he always did. “But hey, keep hoping kid.”

After he left, Max stood against the wall for a long time, feeling very, very confused. 

****

Max presses two fingers against Billy’s name, tracing the gravestones writing. She sniffs, pulling back to wipe at her nose with her sleeve. 

“Do you think… if you’d- if you’d lived, you could’ve learned to love me?”

No matter how long she sits there, she’s not going to get a response. 

But hey, she’ll keep hoping. 

**Author's Note:**

> Check me out on Tumblr at stranger-thots! Love y'all, thanks for reading :)


End file.
